By z
Date: 1 February 1999

Love Anniversary

On our first Valentine's celebration, we climbed a mountain.  We really did.
I had gone to visit him on his turf.  In his element, he thought that a
mountain climb would be romantic.  There I was, a city girl gazing at this
big rock, Picacho Peak, and wondering what in the world I was going to do.
Smack in the middle of a desert, this immensity challenged me to overcome
my limitations, my inhibitions, my conventions.

But there we were, little by little, hiking up this brown monstrosity scabbed
with thirsting scrub.  I was sure I was going to collapse, heart and head
reeling from how much more to go.  I was sure I was going to need a helicopter
to take me down.  But he supported me, gave me encouragement, rested me.
Concentrating on just the next 100 feet and keeping my mind focused on the path,
I endured the hot sun while wondering why I let this man convince me to go on 
this climb called "Nature's Revenge on the City Girl".

But you know what.  I made it.  I climbed to the top.  And finally, my eyes
saw what I could not see during my tortuous hike.  I turned in circles so
that I could see, truly see.  All around me, the desert expanded to infinity.
Looking up, no clouds marred my vision heavenward.  The sun gleamed down on me 
and kissed my skin.  In her warm embrace I was home.  When I stretched, I
touched the sky.

This was his gift to me for our first Valentine.



--for j.  I know that I can do anything, because you showed me how.